While I'm Gone
by Raptor.Elephant
Summary: It's time for the boys to start thinking about moving away for college, but Eric Cartman has been missing for a year and Kyle's not sure he's ready to leave him behind. Kyman and Style. On Hiatus probably permanently. We shall see...
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N:**_ _I've been away from Fanfiction for a long time now. I'm not sure why I stopped, but I'd like to try and come back if you'll have me. It may take me a while to get back into the flow of things, or it might not even happen. I'm sure a lot has changed here since I frequented back in 2010/11, but hopefully not so much that I'm back to being a complete beginner._

 _I'll do my best to update regularly, but in the meantime feel free to check out my past selves stuff. See you soon hopefully. Jenni x_

 **While I'm Gone**

 **One**

"Don't you want to escape this place, Kyle?" Stan Marsh was lying on his bed, staring up at his bedroom ceiling as he asked the question. His legs were bent at the knee; his black skinny jeans hugging his lean legs, legs that Kyle Broflovski was unabashedly staring at. Stan's blue eyes rolled lazily towards his best friend and he couldn't help but smirk as he realised Kyle was staring.

"I dunno," Kyle shrugged, his gaze moving slowly up Stan's slim body before meeting his eyes. "It's home."

"Well I'm going to get the hell away and never look back," Stan semi shrugged, exhaling a breath he hadn't been aware of holding.

"You'd leave me?" Kyle's eyes widened in surprise. They had always been together; to picture Stan gone was unimaginable. Of course Stan had mentioned leaving before, and colleges outside of South Park had definitely been on his radar, but somehow his words actually hit home this time round.

"Come with me."

Kyle shifted his gaze away from Stan. He focused his attention on an old poster. It had been in Stan's room since he was eight and was frayed and curled at the edges. Although faded with age, Terrance and Philip still smiled wildly back at him, bringing back fond memories. Kyle had spent many happy hours in this bedroom; he didn't want to think about it not being a part of his life anymore. Sure, he realised everyone had to change eventually, but right now he wasn't ready. Right now he just wanted extra time; there was still so much left undone and unsaid.

"Is it really that hard?" Kyle could hear the hurt in Stan's voice and it was obvious to what he was referring to even though it remained unsaid.

Some things were better left unsaid; some, but not all.

"I want to come," Kyle admitted. "I do, I swear. It's just..." he trailed off. He daren't close his eyes for fear of what he would see. Instead he pinched the bridge of his nose, something he had actually picked up from Stan.

"Cartman's gone, Kyle." Kyle winced at the harshness of the words and all at once felt a mixture of guilt and grief. He risked peeking at Stan and saw the pain behind his eyes; eyes you could almost swim in. Eye's you could definitely drown in.

Eric Cartman, a childhood frenemy of the boys had been missing for just over a year. Nobody knew where he was, nor if he were alive or dead.

He hadn't even said goodbye.

"You think I'm stupid," Kyle said.

"Yes."

"Maybe I am."

Growing up, Cartman had always been a douche, especially so to Kyle. He was vindictive, cruel and twisted; a real sociopath and psychopath rolled into one fat blob of a boy. Yet Kyle had seen a different side to him, or at least he thought he had. Now he was less sure.

Kyle had known he was gay long before he fell for Eric Cartman, but it was Cartman who made him come out of the closest. Cartman had been his first.

And now Cartman was gone, and Kyle didn't know whether he was meant to grieve or be pissed.

"Am I not good enough?" Stan asked. Another hard question; Stan was just full of them tonight.

Growing up, Kyle had always had a little thing for Stan, but Stan had always only had eyes for Wendy Testaburger. And on the rare occasions when he was not with Wendy it was always a different girl and then back to Wendy. Kyle had never stood a chance, and he had come to accept that. After Cartman left however, things changed. Stan was there for Kyle emotionally and physically and things just... developed. It had never meant to happen and had certainly never meant to continue, but things don't always go as planned.

"Shouldn't I be asking that?" Kyle asked eventually. "You _are_ still with Wendy aren't you?"

Yes, okay, they were cheating. In a way it made their oh so wrong relationship all that much more exciting, and it was certainly what Kyle needed after Cartman abandoned him. He needed that thrill of knowing what he was doing was wrong, and that risk of possibly being caught. If anything though, Stan enjoyed their forbidden secret all the more than Kyle.

"She's going to Cambridge," Stan said.

"Sorry."

"It is what it is." Stan had always been the most moral of the group, and he had clearly shown remorse over cheating on Wendy for the past few months, yet that remorse was obviously not enough to stop anything. Kyle was sure Stan would have caved and told her eventually, but it appeared that now he had been offered a get out of jail free card and was going to take it.

"You could always go with her?"

"You think I'd get into Cambridge?" Stan laughed. "I'm not that smart Kyle. _You_ on the other hand..." Stan rolled onto his side and brought his legs over the edge of the bed. Kyle watched his fluid movements without meeting his eyes.

"I think I'll hang around here..." Kyle shrugged. It was wrong of him to think Cartman would return. Kyle knew it was way past time to move on, but moving on completely was more difficult than he could have ever imagined.

This time Stan was the one to pinch the bridge of his nose. "You're better than all this, Kyle."

"But what if I'm not?"

"Don't you get it Kyle? I want you to come with me. I _want_ to be with you. We can't have that here."

"Why not?"

"There's too much history. Too much sour past. And too many people we'd piss off."

"Wendy's parents?" Kyle had never admitted it, but it hurt to be Stan's seconds. It hurt to be the 'other woman' in the relationship (or 'other man' in this case.)

"And Cartman's mom."

Kyle still visited Cartman's mom every Sunday. She wasn't doing too good, but seeing Kyle seemed to help. He wasn't sure she would ever recover from losing her son. She wasn't naive, she knew what a psychopath he could be, but he was still her baby boy and she loved him. Mrs Cartman was forever grateful to Kyle for showing Cartman love and making him happy; she had once confessed that she wasn't sure anyone would ever be able to love her son other than herself, but she was glad she had been wrong.

"Mrs Cartman still believes he'll come back and you'll be waiting," Stan pointed out. "You can't wait forever."

"I know," Kyle sighed. "I know," he repeated sadly. Kyle pulled himself to his feet, still avoiding eye contact. "Listen, I need to think about all this. Wait for me?"

"Always."

Kyle closed his eyes and it was Cartman's voice he heard that echoed _always._


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** _Thanks for the reviews!_

 **While I'm Gone**

 **Two**

 _Three years earlier_

"Kahl?"

"What is it, fatass?" Kyle was annoyed. Eric Cartman had been hanging around his house for little over an hour now with absolutely no explanation as to why. There had been very little speaking involved; Cartman had just shown up and invited himself in, where he had then plopped his oversize ass down in front of Kyle's Xbox.

"Hey! I'm not fat!" Compared to his ten year old self, fourteen year old Cartman really wasn't fat, but then his ten year old self had been obese.

"Look, what the hell do you want Cartman?"

"Is Butters gay?" Cartman blurted, stunning Kyle. Whatever he had expected from Cartman, it wasn't that. Why an earth would that information matter to Cartman? Kyle could think of only two reasons; one, Cartman fancied him and was trying to find out if he had a chance or, two (the more likely) he had something evil and probably homophobic planned.

" _Why_ do _you_ care?" Kyle arched a ginger eyebrow in suspicion. In actual fact, he didn't know the answer to Cartman's question (though he could hazard to a guess) but hell if he was going to involve himself with one of Cartman's twisted schemes.

"Just wondering," Cartman shrugged, his attention shifting back to the tv screen and the soldiers he was killing.

Silence fell over the pair again. Kyle watched Cartman massacre his opponents on the Xbox, slightly in awe at his skill. That awe subsided dramatically as Kyle remembered that Cartman was actually just as deadly in real life. He still hadn't forgotten about Scott Tenorman.

"Are you gay?" Cartman asked, breaking the silence once again. This time he didn't shift his eyes from the screen. It was almost as if he were simply asked for the time.

"I… uh… what?!" Kyle stuttered. He knew the answer to that question of course, but to be asked so bluntly, and by someone who wasn't even exactly a friend!

"Come on, we all know you're a fag." Still his eyes stared at the screen. Kyle felt his face heat up, though whether it was from embarrassment or anger he wasn't sure.

"I think you should leave," he managed finally. Kyle wasn't ready for this conversation yet, certainly not with Eric Cartman!

"Come on, it's not like anyone cares."

"I… shut up, fatass!"

"I'm seriously! Come on, you're not even denying it."

"Look, what the hell do you want with me Cartman?"

"I just want an answer, Kahl."

"Why?" Why was it any of his business? Why did Eric Cartman seem to think he needed to know everything?

"Curiosity?" Without blinking, Cartman made three head shots in a row. "Ah hell yeah!"

Kyle was feeling completely out of his comfort zone. It wasn't meant to be like this; this was his own house for god sake! His own bedroom! Cartman had no right to barge in and demand answers that he had no right to.

Though… was he actually demanding? Thinking about it, it actually felt like something else… something more _innocent_? Kyle nearly laughed aloud; Cartman and innocent didn't work in the same sentence!

"Look, fatass, if you don't give me a damn good reason to this visit I swear to god I'll kick you out."

Cartman hit pause and finally turned his large brown eyes on Kyle. They were the colour of chocolate and unexpectedly soft.

The silence in the room was deafening and for some reason Kyle's heart was racing.

Finally Cartman broke the silence with a shrug.

"My Xbox broke."

"Arg!" Kyle pinched the bridge of his nose, his eyes scrunching up in frustration. Had he seriously, even for a second, believed that Cartman was here for any other reason? Cartman liked to play games, and not just the type that worked on a screen.

"I think Butters is gay, y'know," Cartman un-paused the game. "Maybe you two should hook up."

"Okay, I've had enough! Out!" Kyle turned off the tv, ignoring the glare Cartman sent his way. "I have to put up with your crap at school; I don't want to have to deal with it at home as well!"

"Stop being such a damn Jew. I was fucking playing that!"

"I _am_ a Jew. And that has nothing to do with anything, you fat fuck!" Kyle ran his hands through his red curls in frustration. He didn't know why Cartman was winding him up so much, but he just wanted to be free of it. Cartman had hit a nerve, it was something that the fat boy was good at.

"Screw you Kahl, I'm going home."

"Good. Get out."

Cartman didn't move though. Why the hell did he have to be so damn infuriating? How had his mom screwed up so much? She must have done something wrong for Cartman to be like he was. Even the bloody dog whisper hadn't managed to get the better of him so why Kyle thought he could was beyond him.

"Just go piss off someone else for a while, okay?"

"None of them are quite as fun as you though, Kahl."

"God damn it, my names Kyle!"

"Right well, I guess I'll go hang out with Kenneh then, at least he's not hiding in the closet."

"Kenny's not gay!"

"Exactly."

"Look fatass, what the hell is all this about? With you it's always something. Just tell me and then get the hell out."

"I just want you to admit it."

"Admit what?"

"That you're gay."

"Why does it matter?!"

"Why doesn't it?"

Kyle clenched his fists and released a frustrated sigh. If it was going to end this torment then Kyle didn't see how it would harm anyway. It was something that needed to be said aloud eventually, why not now? It wasn't as if anyone would believe Cartman anyway, not if Kyle didn't want them to.

"Okay, fine."

"Fine what?"

"I'm freaking gay, are you happy now?"

Before Kyle could even comprehend what was going on, Cartman had lent forward and brushed his own lips against Kyle's. Cartman's lips were dry and cracked but it was oddly… nice.

"That wasn't so hard now was it, damn Jew?" Cartman smirked as he pulled away. Without another word he turned and left the house, leaving Kyle standing stunned in his bedroom, two fingers pressed questioningly against his lips.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** _Sorry this is so short! I'm ill and terrible at writing long chapters_

 **While I'm Gone**

 **Three**

As he buried his face into his pillow, Kyle briefly contemplated how easily he could simply suffocate himself. The thought was there and gone in less than a second, but the fact that he thought it at all scared him. Things weren't all _that_ bad, and even if they were, he was not a quitter.

Instead of suffocating himself, Kyle screamed, muffling the loud noise in the fluffiness of the pillow.

He had dreamt about Cartman last night.

He dreamt about Cartman _every_ night.

"Where the _fuck_ are you?" he said into his pillow. _And why the hell can't I move on?_

It was the not knowing that kept him trapped; or at least, Kyle hoped it was. If he knew Cartman was dead, he could move on. If he knew Cartman had left him, he could move on. Not knowing... it made things harder.

One night they had fallen asleep together in bed and everything had been perfect, but the next Cartman was gone and nobody knew where or why.

For ages Kyle thought Cartman was screwing with him. Cartman liked to play games; pretending to be kidnapped was no worse than anything else Cartman had ever done. Sometimes Kyle still had doubts that it was all just a horrible game, Cartman was certainly known for his commitment to his 'pranks'.

With a sigh, Kyle rolled over, and his eyes sought out the blue and yellow hat that had once belonged to Eric Cartman. He hadn't worn it for years, but had given it to Kyle after a joke between them that Kyle could no longer remember. He wished he still had that memory, insignificant though it was. There were many happy but insignificant memories with Cartman that he had since lost. Why bother to remember the tender kiss in the post office when you'd rather remember about heated intimate sessions in an empty school classroom?

Climbing to his feet, Kyle walked over to the hat and reached out for it. His fingers stopped short and hung inches away for a moment before he withdrew his hand. He didn't want to touch it. To touch it risked going back to the dark place he had been before, well, the dark _er_ place.

It was time to move on. It had to be. He couldn't let this rule his life; he couldn't give Cartman that kind of control.

Kyle walked over to his phone but once again stopped short. He wanted to phone Stan and tell him that he'd go away with him and never look back. He wanted to... didn't he?

If that was what he actually wanted then why couldn't he pick up the phone?

Surely Kyle deserved to be happy? Surely Cartman wouldn't resent him for moving on? The thing was, Kyle was certain Cartman _would_ resent that. It was the sort of thing that should have convinced Kyle that Cartman was bad for him, but somehow wasn't enough to actually do so.

Kyle was certain he was probably the abused wife who wasn't strong enough to leave the abusive husband, but that knowledge in itself just wasn't enough. It should have been, but it simply wasn't.

He was conflicted.

Stan or Cartman?

Happiness or a life of being trapped?

He knew it should be an easy choice, so why the hell wasn't it?

xXx

Stan tried to play on his PS4 but his attention just wasn't there. Every few seconds his gaze returned to the phone. It hadn't rung. Of course it hadn't.

It hurt his heart to see Kyle, his _best_ friend, like this. Stan just wanted him to be happy but Kyle seemed to be making all the wrong choices.

Eric Cartman was not worth the energy Kyle gave him. Eric Cartman was a vile excuse of a human being who didn't love Kyle; not like Stan did.

" _Don't ever come back."_

Surely Kyle had to see sense? He was running out of time to choose, and Stan was worried he wasn't going to like the decision he made.

" _I'm seriously. You can't tell me what to do."_

" _The fuck I can't Cartman!"_

Stan shook his head clear. He wasn't going to let unwelcome memories consume him; he wasn't going to become Kyle.

Stan hadn't told Kyle about the last time he had seen Cartman. In fact, he tried to think about it as little as possible. It wasn't one of his proudest moments and it certainly wasn't something Kyle in his current state would forgive. If only Stan could get Kyle away from South Park, somewhere far away so that he could move on and forget. Maybe then, eventually he could confess, if it was even still relevant then.

Life was full of too many maybes. Stan hated it.

With a sigh he hit pause and picked up his phone. If Kyle wasn't going to call him, then he sure as hell was going to phone Kyle.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** _Hopefully the sexy opening makes up for the lack of updating? ;) haha_

 **While I'm Gone**

 **Four**

"Hey Kahl?"

"Mm?" Kyle shifted his head but didn't rise from his position on the larger boys' chest. They had been lying like that for hours now, Cartman occasionally running his hands through Kyle's wild red curls. Kyle being ginger no longer fazed Cartman; in fact, Cartman had openly admitted that red hair was his new favourite shade.

"Do you love me more than Stan?"

"What are you on about?" Kyle asked sleepily. He prised open a heavy green eye to peer at his boyfriend.

"I'm seriously."

"I love you in different ways."

"But you do love me?"

"Of course." Kyle heaved his body round so that he was lying next to Cartman. Slowly he inched his face closer, until he was able to nudge his nose (a true Jewish nose, much larger than he would personally like) against Cartman's. He felt Cartman's smile as their lips brushed. Their kisses started off slow and tantalising but as hands began to wander and legs entwine the kisses became heated and passionate. Tongues touched and teeth nipped lips and Cartman growled in a way that turned Kyle on way more than anything else that was happening between them.

Kyle breathed Cartman's name; half words, half moan. The larger boy moved quick as a cat and pinned down Kyle on the bed, big clammy hands holding down skinny wrists.

"Say my name again," he purred, his lips moving to Kyle's neck. The thing about Cartman was that he loved having power over people, Kyle especially.

"Eric…" Kyle gasped and arched his back as Cartman's lips brushed a particularly sensitive spot.

"Do you want me, Kahl?" Cartman sang, his hands teasing the button on Kyle's jeans.

"Mmm…" Even though Cartman was barely doing _anything_ Kyle was so blissed out he could hardly control his mouth, let alone his brain. Words were not a viable option right now. Words had lost all meaning.

"Say you want me." The jeans were undone now, but Cartman was still playing, still _teasing._

"I… I want you… oh God!" Cartman's hands were on his manhood now, still teasing, but getting closer. "God I want you!"

"Tell me you love me more than Stan." Oh, so it had all been a game to get the answer he wanted. Kyle couldn't even bring himself to be mad, as Cartman stroked his erection he could hardly even gasp the words Eric wanted to hear.

xXx

Kyle's eyes opened so fast that it took a moment for him to even realise he could see anything. Once again he had dreamed of Cartman, of their last night together. They had had sex that night and then fallen asleep in each other's arms. When Kyle had woken up the next day in the early hours of the morning, Cartman was gone. That was the last time he saw him.

Kyle wished he knew what Cartman had been thinking the night he vanished. He had obviously left the bedroom (and probably the house too) of his own free will, but why? Had he just needed some air? Nothing was packed and taken, which made Kyle doubt that he had run away, but with Cartman you could never really tell.

Had Cartman gone to visit someone? Kyle had asked all of his friends but none of them had seen him. As far as South Park was concerned, Kyle was the last person to see Cartman alive.

Kyle really hoped he was _still_ alive.

Not for the first time, Kyle pictured Cartman, battered and broken, lying in a ditch somewhere. The image encouraged him to shoot out of bed. The clothes he pulled on were too big and dirty, but it didn't matter. He left the house without showering and without combing his hair.

Over the last year Kyle had searched everywhere in South Park. He had searched further, outside of South Park, as well but the world was huge and he was only one person. The best he could do alone was to search ditches and fields and abandoned houses in the town he lived in. He had already fine combed everywhere, but it never hurt to be sure. He liked to double check again and again just in case he had missed something. Sometimes it took fresh eyes; Kyle's eyes were never fresh anymore. Bags rimmed them, growing darker as each new day passed.

Originally the others had helped. Stan, Kenny, Butters, Clyde and the others, they all helped search. Eventually the others moved on with their lives though, and left Kyle searching desperately alone for a body he was surly never going to find. It was like searching for a needle in a haystack. It didn't help that for all Kyle knew, this needle was alive and well and having tea in England.

But maybe he was chained in a basement somewhere, alone and scared.

Kyle wanted to move on, he truly did; Cartman just wouldn't let him.

It was a cold morning in Colorado but Kyle hardly noticed. The sun was only just starting to rise as he began his search for what felt like the hundredth time. It didn't matter that he knew the outcome before he even started; Kyle was being driven by a stronger force than logic. Love, pain, betrayal, hurt… you name it, they were all forces keeping Kyle from moving on. Keeping him from being happy with Stan.

Stan… Kyle really owed him an answer. Stan had phoned him several times in the last couple of days, but Kyle couldn't bring himself to answer. He didn't have an answer for his best friend yet, he wasn't sure he ever would – not until he knew what had happened that night.

This compulsion to know the truth, this need that kept him from moving on... it was going to ruin his life, Kyle just knew it. Worse still, Kyle was going to let it.


	5. Chapter 5

**While I'm Gone**

 **Five**

"Kyle?"

It was a female voice, but even so – just for a second – Kyle found himself thinking _please let it be him._

Kyle shouldn't have been disappointed when he turned around and saw Wendy. Of _course_ it was Wendy. Who else would he bump into while on an insane search for his missing boyfriend but the girlfriend of his secret lover?

"Hi Wendy." _Act casual. It's not so hard, Kyle. Just_ act _casual._

"What are you doing up so early?"

"I could ask you the same."

Wendy indicated her outfit: sweats. Her dark hair was tied into a tight ponytail and her hairline glistened with sweat. Even when slightly red faced and sweaty she was still beautiful; Kyle could see why Stan had trouble leaving her.

"Jogging, right yeah. Of course." Kyle looked around wildly; he had to get away. It wasn't so much the fear of being caught out that made him want to escape, but the guilt of what he was doing to her. Wendy loved Stan; it was obvious from the way she looked at him. Wendy always had to be touching Stan; Kyle could never bear to watch.

She was alone now though. Alone with Kyle.

"So…?"

"So?"

"So what about you?" she asked again. "It's what, like six AM?" Kyle didn't know what the time was; he hadn't checked anything before he had left the house in a hurried daze. He became suddenly aware that he must look a frightful mess. Wendy was probably judging whether she needed to phone the loony bin or not.

"Uh… couldn't sleep."

"You're looking for him aren't you?" there was pity in her voice. Kyle hated it when people spoke to him like that, like he was just a pathetic child that needed looking after and sympathy. Mostly he hated it because it was true.

A strong wind rustled the trees around them, filling the silence that Kyle couldn't bring himself to break.

"I miss him too, you know?" Kyle doubted that. He raised an eyebrow. "No really," Wendy said. "I mean, he was a terrible, horrible, foul person… but he was also…" she trailed off. Kyle knew (though he wasn't sure Stan did) that Wendy and Cartman had slept together once. It had happened after Cartman had made Kyle leave the closet, but before they officially got together. Cartman had claimed he wanted one last round of pussy before he went to the 'pussy nunnery and became a straight out homo' (Cartman's words.)

Wendy and Stan had been on a break. They had gotten back together a couple of days later, and Stan had been so happy that Kyle couldn't bring himself to tell his best friend what had happened. Besides, she hadn't technically been cheating, not like he and Stan were. Wendy had done nothing wrong. It was Kyle and Stan that should be flogged.

Kyle couldn't help but wonder if that was why Wendy missed Cartman, because of their history. He hoped that she didn't still have feelings for him, if she ever had to begin with.

"Do you think…" Kyle's voice cracked. He couldn't bring himself to say the word 'dead' so instead he asked "do you think he'll come back?"

"I do," Wendy answered, her eyes full of honesty. "I think even wild horses couldn't stop him. Kyle, Cartman's a fighter. Whatever happened, where ever he is, he'll come back. So please, stop torturing yourself and stop searching for a body you're not going to find.

"You look ill, Kyle. You need to take care of yourself. What do you think Cartman will say when he returns and sees what a mess you've made of yourself?"

Kyle hated that she was right. Kyle hated that her words made him feel slightly better. Mostly Kyle hated her because he didn't hate her at all, but rather hated himself for betraying her kindness. He opened his mouth, ready to spit out the truth about his affair but quickly stopped himself. Telling her the truth was the right thing to do, but it would destroy Stan and Stan was… well, Stan was Stan. Best friend or lover or more likely both.

Kyle couldn't do that to Stan.

"You're right," he said instead. "Thank you Wendy. You're a good friend." Kyle thought he saw something in her eyes as he said the word friend; was it hurt? Whatever it was, it was gone too quickly to judge and a smile filled her pretty face.

"I'm glad I could help Kyle."

"I hear you're going to Cambridge?" he asked, just because he felt he probably should. He still wanted to get away, his uncomfortable itch was growing.

"Yes, I'm so excited! I mean, I'll miss South Park and Stan of course!"

She'd miss Stan? Hadn't Stan said her move meant the end of their relationship?

"So you and Stan are staying together?" he tried to sound casual about it. He wasn't sure it worked.

"I don't know. I think we're going to try, but of course it's a massive distance and I know it will be hard. We've been through too much to just give up without a fight though, don't you think?"

It took everything Kyle had to force a smile onto his face.

"Of course," he chirped. "You can't just throw away all those years."

"So glad you agree! Listen, Kyle, I really need to be getting off. I'm glad we had this chat though, I hope I helped somewhat."

Thank God, she was leaving! Kyle wasn't sure if he could hold off the tears. Bumping into Wendy had gone from disaster to helpful and right back round to disaster again.

It didn't matter that it was early. Kyle had to go and see Stan. His talk with Wendy may have changed everything. If they weren't breaking up then there was no way Kyle was leaving with Stan. Kyle didn't want to continue being a home wrecker; he just wasn't that kind of person.

"Right," he gave her a weak smile. "Bye."

Wendy gave him another pity smile and started to jog off. She stopped and turned back to face him, a peculiar look on her face.

"Hey, Kyle?"

"Yeah?"

"I really need to tell you something."

Oh crap. She knew all along! How could Kyle have been so stupid?! A look of panic crossed his face, distorting his features in a way that probably made him look ridiculous.

"It's about Cartman…"

 _Oh._

"What about Cartman?"

"I… Don't lose hope. He'll be back." She smiled again and turned around. Kyle watched her jog away, until she vanished around the corner.

He was almost certain that she had been planning to say something else. He wished she hadn't chickened out.

"Well, I guess I'll worry about that later," he said aloud. Right now he had to go visit Stan, while he still had the willpower to do so.


End file.
